No. 4.] QUINCE CULTURE. 147 



blossom is produced on the end of the shoot. This, of course, tem- 

 porarily stops the growth in that direction, and if the blossom sets 

 a fruit there is no further growth at this point for the season. If it 

 does not set fruit, however, one of the lateral buds on the shoot will 

 frequently start into growth and continue the lengthening of the 

 branch, sometimes for a foot or more. All this means that on those 

 branches where a quince tree sets fruit its j'^early growth is very slight 

 indeed, and if it bears abundantly, the tree will present a rounded top, 

 looking almost as though it had been sheared, as in the case of the 

 tree in Fig. 1. Whereas, if the tree sets little fruit, a young tree in 

 particular may make a long, spreading growth, which will give it the 

 appearance shown in Fig. 2. 



We are now in position to consider the matter of pruning, which is 

 chieflj^ concerned wath keeping the tree from growing ragged and out 

 of shape, as it will most certainly do if neglected, and in keeping up a 

 supply of thrifty one-year-old wood from which the bearing shoots 

 may start each spring. As in other fruits, the main pruning may be 

 done at almost any part of the dormant season, but preferably about 

 March, and a good pair of hand shears such as are used in grape prun- 

 ing is all that is necessary for practically all of the work. The first 

 operation is to shorten in the long terminal shoots, shown in Fig. 2, 

 and unless there is special reason for wanting the tree to enlarge, these 

 may be cut back from two-thirds to three-fourths of their growth, 

 or even cut out altogether in some cases. The next operation is to go 

 through the tree and thin out the entire top. The severity of this 

 thinning will depend altogether on the previous treatment of the tree. 

 If it has been neglected, it may be necessary to remove a large amount 

 of wood, so as to induce an abundant new growth; while if it has been 

 \vell cared for, there may be only here and there a crowding branch to 

 remove. In any case, experience (either one's own or that of another) 

 is the only sure guide. But the aim ought to be to keep the head 

 sufficiently open so that the center of the tree may not become "blind," 

 or devoid of one-year wood. As compared with other fruits, however, 

 the quince may be allowed to form rather a thick top, since it never 

 attains large size and consequently the sun and air will penetrate to 

 the center of the tree through a thicker top. 



Insects and Fungous Pests. 

 The quince is really troubled with very few insect or fungous 

 enemies in well-kept orchards. Of course the neglected and run- 

 down trees, which are the too common rule, are likely to be attacked 

 in various waj^s, but where trees are given anything like modern 

 treatment the number of enemies is relatively very small. Even deer, 

 the newest and w^orst enemy of apple orchards in Massachusetts 

 (worst because protected by the State), are said not to browse on 

 quince trees. 



